


Pride

by Aithilin



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Coming Out, Festivals, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of homophobia, Pride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 09:03:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19206190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/pseuds/Aithilin
Summary: Noctis can only really watch it all from afar.





	Pride

“You know it’s not that big a deal, right?”

“Maybe not to you.”

There was an air of festivity over Insomnia; centralized around certain district, specific venues, and among some groups that were not always the most vibrant or vocal. It was subtle, really— despite the marches and speeches and the colourful flags. After the initial speech from the Crown, the welcoming fervour that had flowed from the Citadel in the first week of the month seemed to seep back into the imposing stony facades and air of propriety. 

“Noct—”

No one questioned Ignis when he appeared at these events. The Prince’s attaché, the formal, welcomed voice of royal acceptance among the younger generation of nobility in Lucis. No one questioned his steadfast, quiet shadow of a friend appearing as a formal ambassador to a community Noctis had only watched from afar. 

“Would you go?”

“Yeah,” there was no hesitation in Nyx’s answer. No moment of quiet thought or confused request for clarity. There was no question in his conviction.

But Nyx was a proud man to begin with. Proud of his heritage, his family, his work. His identity in every aspect. 

“Yeah,” Nyx said again, and dropped a kiss to Noctis’ hair; “And I’d have your back, little star.”

Noctis knew he would. 

They curled together on the sofa in Noctis’ apartment, watching the parades and festivities and myriad of colours from the comfort of each other's arms. Restless Nyx had moved often from balcony— where he could watch the sea of colour marching along the avenue towards the Citadel plaza, where the festivities were starting already— to the sofa— where he could wrap himself around Noctis and smile at the details caught on the cameras positioned among the cheering crowds. The music echoed from the television and the street below, the smiling faces faces of supporters dimmed beneath headlines that condemned tensions throughout the city and questioned royal acceptances and endorsements. 

“I wish I could go.”

“I know. One day.”

“Yeah, sure. When lines of successions aren’t a thing.”

Nyx offered a grin, and tightened his hold, as Ignis stood at a podium to present the Crown Prince’s address. “We could run off to Galahd. Kings name their successors there. Just pick a candidate and you’re good.”

“Think Lucis could adopt that approach?”

“Maybe when you’re King.” Nyx indicated the podium, where the opening speech— the royal endorsement— was being given. “You could still go there. Make an appearance. It doesn’t mean anything if you just show up and give that speech yourself.”

“I know.” Noctis turned the television off, and stretched. There would be lights that night— the Citadel awash in a rainbow of colours, rolling across the ancient stone in a show of acceptance that was meant to extend to everyone. To everyone who didn’t have appearances to keep up. Prompto had already started texting his outing down in the thick of the crowd— smiling selfies drowning in seas of colour. “But you really think the Citadel would let me?”

“Not like they can really stop you. What’s the worse that could happen?”

“Council could force a panic over succession. Name the Amicitias as stewards until I’m ‘straightened out’, so to speak.”

There would be rumours first, as there already were. Then the gossip would start to turn. And when the acceptance of the single month was a memory half a year away, there would be talk among the nobility. 

Noctis didn’t trust himself to keep his mouth shut if he was down there. Ignis had the composure to stay on script. The truth wasn’t some caged creature scratching to be let loose to him.

“Just for going?”

Noctis offered a smirk of his own; “I go, you go. And you think I can stop myself from kissing you in the middle of Pride?”

“Shy little thing like you?” Nyx wrapped his arms around Noctis to pull him back to claim that kiss. “Never.”

“Next year.”

“Next year, little star. Or whenever you’re ready.”

“What if I’m never ready?”

“Do I look like I’m going anywhere?”


End file.
